The present invention relates generally to cutting tools comprising on-edge mounted cutting inserts and, more particularly, to a family of such cutting tools.
In slot-milling cutters, the periphery of the milling body is equipped with a number of on-edge mounted cutting inserts, every second one of which protrudes in relation to one side of the toolholder and every second from the opposite side of the toolholder. The relative displacement of the cutting inserts is made in order to obtain clearance and in order to obtain slots having perpendicular or parallel bordering surfaces. The bottom surface of the slot is cut by the major cutting edges of the cutting inserts while the side surfaces of the slot are cut by the minor cutting edges extending substantially perpendicularly to the major cutting edges. Radii between the bottom surface and the side surfaces are obtained by means of more or less rounded cutting corners at a transition between associated pairs of major and minor cutting edges of each cutting insert. The relative displacement of the cutting inserts requires that the cutting inserts are formed in particular right hand and left hand embodiments in order to guarantee the requisite clearance between the side wall and the portion of the cutting insert following after the minor cutting edge.
It is desirable to provide an on-edge mounted cutting insert and a cutting tool wherein a single insert can be mounted on either side of a toolholder.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a family of rotating cutting tools comprises at least two toolholders having different diameters, each toolholder comprising a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side being substantially perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the toolholder, and at least one insert abutment surface on each of the first side and the second side, the insert abutment surfaces on the first side and the second side of each toolholder being substantially mirror images of each other, and the insert abutment surfaces on each of the first side and the second side of each toolholder being substantially identical to the insert abutment surfaces on each other one of the at least two toolholders, and a plurality of identical inserts mounted on each of the at least two toolholders, each insert having a first side surface, a second side surface, and a plurality of edge surfaces between the first and second side surfaces, each edge surface intersecting with another edge surface at a corner and forming a cutting edge, wherein the first and second side surfaces each have a side insert supporting surface for abutting against one of the abutment surfaces. For each toolholder, the insert abutment surfaces on the first and second sides define an angle with a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the toolholder, and the angle defined by the insert abutment surfaces and the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the toolholder is different for the at least two toolholders having different diameters.